Travel Advisors Decode Extra Cruise Fees and 13 Other Top Tourism Stories This Week

Travel Advisors Step In as Cruise Fees Reach Tipping Point: The base fares advertised by many cruise lines rarely indicate the proliferation of onboard charges that can send the cost of the cruise soaring. Travel advisors are stepping in by counseling clients about the added costs and, in some cases, presenting all-inclusive cruises as a better value.

Travel Advisors Play Fare Vetter as Cruise Fees Escalate: The low base fares promoted by some budget and mid-level cruise lines rarely indicate what the actual cost of a sailing will be. Travel advisors are stepping in to advise clients about onboard charges and, in some cases, showing that a higher-end cruise with all-inclusive pricing is actually a better value.

Federal Judge Warns Carnival on Ocean Pollution: Promise Less, Act More: Carnival Corp. may now make a point of trumpeting its sustainability efforts, but it’s worth remembering that it’s on environmental probation for a reason.

Airbnb Launches Its First Animal-Friendly Experiences Category: Airbnb Experiences continues to expand as the company launches its first animal-friendly category. The company encourages animal lovers to put away their tech devices with the funny dog videos and connect with wildlife in a safer environment. It’s just good business for Airbnb too.

TripAdvisor to End Ticket Sales to Attractions Featuring Captive Marine Mammals: ith its new policy, TripAdvisor is making a clear statement about the use of marine animals for entertainment. Will it be setting a trend for others to follow? Even more interesting will be seeing how companies like SeaWorld react.

Debt, Egos and Bad Decisions: How Thomas Cook Failed to Adapt to a New Era of Travel: Thomas Cook’s collapse was a disaster played out in slow motion. An ill-fated acquisition spree, a bloated retail footprint, and a commoditized product left it unable to deal with changes in consumer behavior and economic shocks.

What Is the Future of Packaged Vacations After Thomas Cook’s Collapse? Package holidays are changing and under pressure, but in markets such as the UK, Germany, China, and Canada, these offline options still have their place. Failure to adapt was a contributing factor in Thomas Cook’s failure, but there were a whole bunch of other things going on as well.

Indonesia’s Komodo Island Will Stay Open But New Fee Could Be as High as $1,000: So the good news is Komodo Island won’t be closed. The bad news is a “membership” fee, which could be as high as $1,000, will be introduced. Indonesian authorities never cease to goof up on one of its most important tourism attractions.

Ukraine Drums Up Tourism Amid Trump Headlines: The reality of the modern news cycle means that burgeoning tourist destinations often find themselves the subject of intense global focus. It was Ukraine’s turn last week.

Europe’s Airline Woes Hit Slovenia — and Its Promising Tourism Growth: European aviation’s wretched month will also have major effects on up-and-coming tourist destinations. Slovenia is one such example.

New Corporate Travel Platforms Put Travelers First: What a Concept: Travel management startups are targeting employees at small businesses, in the hopes they’ll influence management. This strategy is working, and even larger companies are starting to change the way they design their travel policies.

Park Hyatt’s Blade Runner: Knife Concierge Offers Cutting-Edge Service: It’s not enough for the waitstaff at The Argyle Steakhouse in San Diego to pick up on the personalities of their customers. The staff of this high-end Park Hyatt Aviara eatery also has to learn about the personalities of their steak knives.

Who Is Next on the Flight-Shaming Agenda? Greta Thunberg’s climate activism is a thing of beauty. The fact that a teenager from the small country of Sweden can have such a powerful impact on world opinion is inspiring. But another Swedish environmental sensation, known as flygskam (flight shaming), might need a bit of tinkering.

Peloton’s IPO Shows There May Be Trouble Ahead: Peloton had been sitting on quite a pedestal of late — with its loyal fan base willing to pay a premium price for its bikes and streaming service. But after the less-than-stellar IPO performance and a recent lawsuit, cracks at the company may be starting to appear.